To Thomas Jefferson from Edward Jerningham, 6 May 1789

From Edward Jerningham

Green Street Grosvenor SquareLondon May 6th

Sr

I am encouraged by Mrs. Cosway to Beg you would favor me with the Acceptance of my poem on Enthusiasm. If it should meet with any part of the Approbation of so enlighten’d a Judge I should be highly gratified.

When I was at Paris last summer, I wished very much to be Introduced to you, And Mr. O Dunn promised to procure me that Honor, I left Paris with regret at not having accomplished my wish. I am with great esteem yr obed: hble servant,

Edwd Jerningham

RC (MHi); endorsed; TJ wrote the following at foot of text, and then deleted it: “rue Ste. Dominique No. 67.” Recorded in SJL as received 15 May 1789.

Edward Jerningham (1727–1812), a voluminous dabbler in poetry, published Enthusiasm: a Poem, in 1789, in which the prophecy about America elicited TJ’s particular comment in his reply. Rejected by Britannia, the “orphan nursling, this rejected child,” is hailed by the Enthusiast:

More between these correspondents

The National Historical Publications and
Records Commission (NHPRC) is part of the National
Archives. Through its grants program, the NHPRC supports a wide range of activities to
preserve, publish, and encourage the use of documentary sources, relating to the history of
the United States, and research and development projects to bring historical records to the
public.

Founders Online is an official website
of the U.S. government, administered by the
National Archives and Records Administration
through the NHPRC, in partnership with the
University of Virginia Press,
which is hosting this website.